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Hearings Set on Wildlife Hunting Restrictions

The National Park Service is holding public hearings in March on temporary restrictions for certain sport
hunting practices in several national preserves in Alaska. Public comments on these provisions will be
taken from March 9 through March 22.

The restrictions generally mirror those in place last year. These restrictions are in response to decisions
by the Alaska Board of Game to liberalize hunting seasons and methods for wolves, coyotes, and bears.
The board has also rejected proposals by the National Park Service to exclude preserves from these
practices, an action that would have made federal restrictions unnecessary. The NPS restrictions do not
affect subsistence harvest under Federal Subsistence Regulations.

The restrictions include:
Shortening the open season for wolves and coyotes. Under the proposed rule, wolf and coyote
hunting would be open from August 10 through April 30. This would prevent the taking of wolves
and pups at den sites during the early summer when the animals are vulnerable and their pelts
are in poor condition.

Prohibiting the use of bait for the taking of brown bears. Until recently, the practice had been
prohibited since Statehood and is the only such allowance in North America. The NPS is
proposing to prohibit the practice to avoid public safety issues which can arise with bears
conditioned to finding human food.

Prohibiting the use of artificial light when taking black bear sows or cubs at den sites. This practice
was opened to all resident hunting license holders in 2010.

The full text of the restrictions for each affected national preserve will be posted before March 9 at
https://www.nps.gov/akso/management/compendiums.cfm

In accordance with 36CFR 13.50, public hearings will be held in a community in or near each of the
affected national preserves during the weeks of March 10 and March 17. In addition, hearings will
be held in Anchorage and Fairbanks, and written comments may be mailed. The NPS will also open a Facebook chat on the topic on March 20 from 10 a.m. to Noon and postings will be retained for the
record.

The public hearing schedule for Katmai, Aniakchak, and Alagnak is as follows: